Cleon Peterson

3 years ago

Cleon Peterson’s cruel images of violence assault our senses, yet his goal is not to shock but to dissuade the negative world he sees unfurling around him. War, rape, distrust and dishonor are depicted in classical landscapes framed as if an 18th century oil. Raised in Seattle, Cleon’s mother, a former ballerina, pushed his talent to great lengths, encouraging Cleon to get his GED at age 14 and start attending art college. Brilliant but addicted, Cleon struggled, eventually ending up in a criminally ordered asylum, where he got clean and started to define his unique vision.